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Pondarosa Miss wins trial; Caorunn on Karaka Million path; Turnbull for Gust Of Wind; Weregoingtogetcha supplemented; Lucia looking for rain; Derby for Tiger
Pondarosa Miss wins trial
Group One winning mare Pondarosa Miss rounded off preparations for Saturday’s Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate by winning a trial over 1000m on her home track at Te Awamutu on Tuesday.
Accustomed to racing in blinkers, Pondarosa Miss trialled without their addition, a gear change that will again be in effect on Saturday.
“It was a good trial,” trainer Peter Hollinshead said. “She looked to be running straight with the blinkers off today.
“She won’t do much between now and Saturday. I think she’ll go a nice race but the further she goes the better she will be. It will be a very good horse that beats Kawi [on Saturday].”
Caorunn on Karaka Million path
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Caorunn finished a brave second behind Tenessee at Ruakaka on Saturday and the juvenile will now be set on a path towards the Karaka Million in January.
“He’s come through the run well and after having a couple of days off he’s jumping around and bouncing out of his skin,” Young said.
“We will push on for another run which will be at Otaki on the 24th to try and get some more money next to his name.”
“We’d like to get him into the Karaka Million so it’s all about building up a bank of prize-money to ensure he gets a start. Hopefully he can chalk up a win next start to justify sending him out for a short break, then he’ll come back in to be prepared for the big race.”
Caorunn is a brother to one of last season’s smarter two-year-olds in Boodles who now races as Lim’s Showcase in Singapore. Sharing in the ownership of Caorunn is Singapore trainer Shane Baertschiger.
Turnbull for Gust Of Wind
Gust Of Wind has arrived back at John Sargent’s Randwick stable in good order after her eighth in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.
The ATC Oaks winner will run next in the Turnbull Stakes and then stay in Melbourne for the rest of her spring campaign. After being allotted 52kg, the mare will run in the Caulfield Cup, with Glen Boss likely to ride.
Stablemate Kirramosa turned in another strong gallop on Tuesday morning and will be ridden by Tommy Berry in Saturday’s Gr.1 George Main Stakes.
Weregoingtogetcha supplemented
The David Hayes- trained Weregoingtogetcha is a late entry for the weight-for-age Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings on Saturday. The five-year-old was placed in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) last term and finished a creditable fifth in the 2014 New Zealand Derby.
Lucia looking for rain
Trainer Kris Lees is contemplating a change of plan with New Zealand-bred and owned mare Lucia Valentina.
Formerly trained in Cambridge by Stephen Marsh, the daughter of Savabeel joined Lees stable early last year recording Group One wins in the Vinery Stud Stakes and the Turnbull while more recently she was a fast-finishing sixth first-up in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes.
“I’ve nominated her for the George Main and if the rain does come then there is a good chance she will run on Saturday,’’ Lees said.
“Our original plan was to wait the extra week and go to the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield but she is very effective when the tracks are soft.
“If she gets conditions to suit, then I expect her to run a very good race in the George Main Stakes.’’
Derby for Tiger
Trainer Mick Price has labelled his Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Celtic Tiger as a live VRC Derby chance with his staying potential to the fore in Saturday’s run.
“Celtic Tiger overcame difficulty to still win and is on a VRC Derby path,” the Caulfield trainer said.
“He is still learning but I was pleased with the effort.
“He is a big, strong, good eating colt who should train on.”
A son of O’Reilly, Celtic Tiger was purchased for $160,000 at Karaka in 2014.
